Pastor's Devotion

Called By Name

mattfox@bandonfellowship.org (Pastor Matt Fox) — Thu, 3 Feb 2011 12:19:00 -0800

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine." Isaiah 43:1b

I have these memories of being in elementary school, standing in a long line against the fence with my peers. I remember looking out at the two boys who were better athletes than anyone else on the playground and hoping that I would be picked first. There was a fear within me of being picked last. There was always a feeling of deep relief and joy when I was picked by one of those star athletes to be on their team before anyone else. When they pointed to me, and called my name, I would jump off the line and happily join my team. Whether you were chosen immediately or last, depended heavily upon how well you performed.
When it comes to real life, everyone has this inherent understanding that something is wrong with humanity. There is something wrong with us. Sin has marred so deeply, that we are incapable of performing well enough to be chosen in and of ourselves. We have all fallen short, missed the mark, and followed after created things, rather than Creator God. The incredible truth is, that God's word to you and to me is, "Fear not, for I have redeemed you...." I'm so glad God doesn't deal with me like those guys picking the teams back in grade school; according to performance. Instead, Jesus Christ performed for us, in our place, and redeemed us by His blood! The result? God calls you by name! He points to you and says, "You are mine." Dear saint, you have nothing to fear! The God of the universe doesn't judge, call, and use you based upon how well you do, or do not perform. He judges you to be righteous by your profession of faith in Christ Jesus' finished work on the cross. He calls you by name robed in His righteousness to be used for the furthering of His kingdom on this earth as it is in heaven!
Remember God's gracious words to you: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine."

Blessings!

Merry Christmas!

mattfox@bandonfellowship.org (Pastor Matt Fox) — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 11:37:00 -0800

The first chapter in the book of Hebrews tells us that God has spoken “at many times and in many ways.” The reverberations of God’s word still shake, and shape the human heart and mind. Recently, my brother was down to visit family on the Oregon coast. It so happened that an epic storm off the coast was generating some tremendous swells that were impacting the coastline. As we stood on the precipice of a large cliff overlooking the turbulent waters, the force and impact of those massive waves could be felt in the ground beneath our feet. I remember how my heart trembled as I realized in that moment that I was somehow catching an infinitesimal glimpse of the power, strength, and majesty of God whose word spoke it into being, and whose word kept those waters in place. God’s word was still reverberating, still shaking, still revealing an aspect of His nature through His creation. But the most incredible way God spoke to us, the way God literally shook things up, was through His son Jesus Christ. Hebrews 1 continues to say that, “in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son…He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.”

God’s most incredible act, and most self-revealing demonstration was the Word becoming flesh. Jesus Christ. As we celebrate this incredible mystery, God becoming man, we have in Christ Jesus the greatest hope, and most secure assurance. No matter where you are in life, mo matter what you are experiencing presently, you can rejoice that God loved you so much that he gave his only Son for you. Why? Before Christ came, in the temple, the priests would offer sacrifices to God on behalf of the people. Inside there were no chairs or places to sit. Why? Because the priests work of atoning for the sins of the people was never complete. There was always more sin to take care of. This is why it is so significant that in Hebrews 1:3 speaking of Christ says, “After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…” Why did He sit down? Because He finished the work. His sacrifice was perfect and He did it all for me and you.

There is a Word that makes the heart tremble, that shakes up our lives, that causes a hope that is never fading, and assurance that is as strong as the mighty right hand of God. It’s the incredible truth that God was born in Bethlehem to a virgin named Mary, to live for me, to die for me, to rise for me; to be my Prophet that speaks to me, my King that leads me, and my Priest who intercedes for me. What a Savior we have in Christ Jesus the Lord!

Merry Christmas!

God Can Relate

mattfox@bandonfellowship.org (Pastor Matt Fox) — Wed, 8 Dec 2010 10:07:00 -0800

Have you ever experienced the joy of connecting with someone who had walked through the same difficulties you experienced? To find someone who can relate with you in all your pain, hardships, triumphs, and joys is wonderful thing. Often times, we gravitate toward those who can relate to our lives because they have walked through the same hard things. For example, throughout my time in the military, there existed a common bond that was created through deploying to another country and being put in harms way together. The bonds created were lifelong and meaningful. Why? We shared a common experience and therefore could relate to one another in ways that other people who had never been deployed into a war could. Why am I sharing this?
We are about to celebrate the most profound act in the history of the universe. It is called the Incarnation. Emmanuel. God with us! John 1:14 declares, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us...". Why is this so amazing? The eternal Creator God of the heavens and the earth, the sustainer of all things, after being betrayed by His creation, chose to come into human history to live the life you and I are supposed to live. This means that Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, can relate to you perfectly. Perhaps you are going through difficulties financially. Did you know Jesus can relate to you? Mary and Joseph were very poor. They couldn't even afford a normal sacrifice of a lamb, so they had to purchase turtledoves (Luke 2:24). Jesus grew up in a single income family of a blue collar worker, and learned the trade of a carpenter. Jesus understood what it meant to live through hard times financially. He can relate to you. Jesus knows what it's like to have fun, experience joy, and even pain and deep sorrow. Jesus knows exactly what it's like to be betrayed by those He was vulnerable with. He knows what it feels like to have a Father turn His back on Him. God the Father knows what it feels like to lose a child. The list could go on and on!
What a wonderful God we have! I'm so thankful that God chose to come into the world. He alone truly knows what I'm going through at any given moment of my life. Did you know that He desires a relationship with you? We love to be in relationship with those who have walked through the same life experiences. I hope and pray that as we celebrate God with us, that our love for, and desire to be in relationship with Jesus, increases and matures as we see the glory of the Incarnation of God coming to live with, and save us!

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!

Exalt and Praise the Lord

mattfox@bandonfellowship.org (Pastor Matt Fox) — Wed, 6 Oct 2010 11:31:00 -0700

O' Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure. Isaiah 25:1

There isn't much that is sure today. If you take a moment to skim the headlines of Fox News, CNN, or any other news outlet, you will find an endless array of stories replete with uncertainty, and blind speculation. Is it any wonder that many people are essentially biting their finger nails and wondering what on earth to do? There are of course countless opinions as to what brings about certainty. But at the center of all of them, is a selfish desire to make sure life goes the way I want it to for me. Does this work though? If you are honest, the answer is always, "No." So what is certain? Is there anything that is sure? I am always blessed to be able to proclaim the answer to that question. Yes! God is the only thing that is sure! You see, in a world of uncertainty, where all things can be shaken, the answer to experiencing true life is found in the one who is sure, and totally unshakable. Isaiah was experiencing the same reality. But his response was one of praise and worship. Dear friends, we must remember our Eternal God and Father. He has done such wonderful things! He has given us salvation, the Rock of Jesus Christ that is immoveable. He has given us his word that is immutable. He has given us his Holy Spirit that is ultimately powerful. All of this he gave to us before the foundations of the world were ever laid by his word. Only God is faithful and sure. It's only by placing your trust and faith on the sure foundation of Christ can you then, like Isaiah, cry, "O' Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name..."
There is hope today. There is strength. There is reason to rejoice! God is great, and worthy to be praised. As you rejoice in that, in the midst of a world of uncertainty, you will find yourself on sure ground, solid ground. Hallowed ground.

Blessings in Christ Jesus our Lord!

Where Do You Look?

mattfox@bandonfellowship.org (Pastor Matt Fox) — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 11:28:00 -0700

In that day you looked to the weapons of the House of the Forest, and you saw that the breaches of the city of David were many. You collected the waters of the lower pool, and you counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you broke down the houses to fortify the wall. You made a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool. But you did not look to him who did it, or see him who planned it long ago.
Isaiah 22:8b-11

In the passage above, God's people were facing the enemy. As the enemy drew near, as hardships mounted, they did what seemed wise and strategic from the worlds perspective: They, on their own power and wisdom worked hard to defend against the enemy. We often do the very same thing. In other words, when hardship begins to loom on the horizon of life, we often start by desperately taking inventory of what we can, in our own power, throw at it. Why do we so often do this? I would humbly submit that it is because of our fleshly desire to be our own god. We have a fierce desire to build our own kingdoms. As a result, whenever our own kingdoms we have worked so hard to build face a threat, it becomes a threat to our very identity. What do I mean? Isaiah, in chapter 17 said, "You have forgotten the God of your salvation, and have not remembered the Rock of your refuge." Meaning, God was no longer the center of their lives. He was no longer what their identity was hidden in. They pursued their own kingdom, not God's kingdom. They, with their own efforts, built their own lives around things that never mattered. In light of their rebellion, as the kingdom they created came tumbling down, the first thing they did was to desperately try and preserve it. In the midst of all their effort, and strategic planning, and fortifying, the heart of our glorious Father is heard. "But you did not look to him who did it, or see him planned it long ago." How often do I hear those words from the Lord? The words from a Father who's heart is breaking for His children who He longs to come through for. You see, our Father wants you and I, in the midst of the attack from the enemy, or hardships of life, to not first desperately try and work up a solution, but instead come to Him first. To cry out to Him. To talk to Him. To be honest about where we are at, and to repent of our forgetful hearts, and confess that we need Him. So for you, where is it you are looking presently? Is it to the author and finisher of your faith. Is it to our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus the Lord? Perhaps you need to pause, and remember the mighty deeds of a wonderful God who's desire is to be your provision, your protection, the God of your salvation, and the Rock of your strength!

Look to Jesus today!

Take Heed not to Forget

mattfox@bandonfellowship.org (Pastor Matt Fox) — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 13:18:00 -0700

"For you have forgotten the God of your salvation and have not remembered the Rock of your refuge; therefore you plant pleasant plants and sow the vine branch of a stranger, though you make them grow on the day that you plant them, and make them blossom in the morning that you sow, yet the harvest will flee away in a day of grief and incurable pain." Isaiah 17:10,11

We live in a time and culture in which everything is made available "on demand." We don't have to wait for anything anymore. Even if we have to wait more then two or three minutes in a drive through fast food line, we begin to get irritated and begin thinking, "I thought this was supposed to be fast food!" One of the terrible ramifications of living in an "on demand" world, is that we lose patience. Patience in what? In most everything, but most importantly, many lose patience in God. You see, the children of God being addressed in the verses above, had, over time, lost patience in God. They knew God's promises of a Messiah, but over time they lost patience and trust. The end result? They began to simply forget about God, and as they did, they replaced Him with something that their own hands created. At the start, the things they were doing to speed up the process by entering into alliances with other nations, and trusting in their own wisdom and timing of things seemed to produce something that was fruitful. But it didn't last, and ultimately resulted in their being taken captive.
Like them, we can do the same thing. In other words, we lose patience and trust in God, and so we begin to forget about Him. His promises. His provision. His Word. The only other alternative to that, is to simply begin to cultivate our own "gardens" by planting strange plants, and using the tools at our disposal to provide for ourselves. Sound familiar? Maybe you are reaping right now, the fruit of your own labor, and lack of patience and trust in God. If so, then what next?
It's very simple: Remember the Lord. What do I mean? To remember means that you are going to have to turn away from what you are doing in order to focus on Him. Repentance is the answer. God desires for you to simply drop the tools you have been desperately using to cultivate your own life, and reach forward as Paul would put it, for the prize. Hold onto the Lord. As you do, you'll be reminded of how great He is. How powerful his love is. How freeing His grace is. And how humbling His sacrifice was. You see, God is not interested in a drive-through Christian life for you. He desires to cultivate not instant success, but character in Him that is brought about by a process that takes time. The Lord is calling out for His people to remember Him. To remember that He is in control, and in charge, not us. Perhaps we all need to hear this. To remember the Lord, to trust in Him, to allow God to cultivate in us patience, and character.
Take time to mediate on the Lord and His wonderful Word today. You'll find He's exactly what you've been looking for!

Blessings in Jesus name.

In God's Presence

mattfox@bandonfellowship.org (Pastor Matt Fox) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:17:00 -0700

And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me." And he said, "Go, and say to this people: "'Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive... The Lord removes people far away, and the forsaken places are many in the midst of the land. And though a tenth remain in it, it will be burned again, like a terebinth or an oak, whose stump remains when it is felled.'" The holy seed is its stump.
Isaiah 6:8-9,12-13

After encountering the brilliant magnificence, and pure holiness of the living God, Isaiah responds to God's presence with honest repentance and heartfelt confession. The result? The lips of Isaiah were touched with a burning coal from off the alter, the seraphim exclaiming, "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for (Isaiah 6:7)". This is always the result of getting into the presence of the living God. His brilliance always does two things: First, it's brightness causes our hearts to break, for it reveals perfectly who we are. The result is our hearts repenting, and our mouths confessing before the Lord. Second, it also has the effect of drawing us in at the same time. It's like walking out of a dark movie theater in the late afternoon after seeing a film. As the light hits your eyes, you flinch because it is so much brighter then the environment you were in, while at the same time you turn your face toward the warmth of the sun because it feels good on your skin. After the initial shock of God's brightness, and our initial response of confession, the warmth of God's forgiveness draws us in closer to Him. When this reality is happening in the life of a true believer, there are three things that always result. The above passage illustrates the result of spending time in the presence of God.

First, our needs take a back seat to God's needs. Isaiah, hearing the Lord say, "Who shall we send," immediately responds with his availability for God's purposes. You see, when we have an encounter with the Lord, it produces in us an availability for His purposes. How does that happen? That happens when God is more real to us then our perceived needs. The second thing that God works in us is dependability. God essentially tells Isaiah to preach a message that the people will not respond to. In fact, the message will only, "Dull their hearts (V.10)". For Isaiah, the time spent in God's presence produces a dependability in the face of circumstances that are less then what Isaiah would define as successful. Isaiah's needs no longer mattered. There would be no individual fulfillment for Isaiah. He was dependable because God is what fulfilled him, not how many people listened to him, affirmed him, or complimented him. Is your fulfillment in life defined by how people receive you? Perceive you? Is your fulfillment and dependability in your walk with Jesus Christ dependent upon your own ideas of success or comfort? Those who truly spend time in God's presence are motivated by one thing: Pleasing the One who loved them so much He died in their place. Lastly, an encounter with God produces in us expectancy. Even though the stump (Israel) is burned, and even cut down (V.13), there is a holy seed in it's stump. Isaiah had a heart of expectancy. He trusted that God would bring about salvation. There was indeed a holy seed in the stump. The seed is the person of Jesus Christ that would come from a burned out, cut down nation that had been lost to idolatry. Isaiah expected God to come through.

I pray we would be those that spend time in the brilliance of God's presence, so that we can see who we really are inside. That by seeing who God is and who we are, we can repent and confess our sin. Let us then stay boldly in the warmth of God's grace and love, and respond with availability, dependability, and expectancy for God to continue to work, to move, and to accomplish His purposes for the praise of His glorious name!

Blessings!

What is God Interested In?

mattfox@bandonfellowship.org (Pastor Matt Fox) — Wed, 7 Jul 2010 10:46:00 -0700

...Your hands are full of blood. Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause. "Come now, let us reason together says the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool." Isaiah 1:15d-18

There are a multitude of motivations within the human heart that seeks to approach God according to its own terms. God, in speaking through Isaiah, is speaking to a group of people not unlike us today. On the outside they looked good, were doing well, and had it together. They approached their relationship with God based on their outward appearance, and outward religious practices. The problem was, that God was never interested in their outward appearance, physical affluence, or religious practice. What God was interested in was their inward obedience and devotion to Him. You see, in the midst of all their outward doings, God saw something else. He saw hands that were dripping with blood. So what is it that God is truly interested in? God is interested in a heart that repents of it's attempt to approach God on its own terms. God is interested in a heart that approaches Him according to His terms. God says to you and me, "Come now, let us reason together, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool." In other words, we come, with bloody hands stained with sin, with no ability in and of ourselves to wash it from our lives. But God, in his goodness and mercy, simply asks us to come with a repentant heart, and allow the blood of Jesus to cleanse us from the sin that so easily besets us. This is all that God is interested in. That we return to Him, and His word, which are the words of eternal life. He desires us to lay down our religious pretenses, and hold onto Him. Paul says that our sufficiency is found in Christ, and Christ alone. No amount of religious practice, or outward works can ever be sufficient. This is good news! Christ is your sufficiency! Turn to Him, rejoice in Him, listen to Him, walk in Him, and allow Him to change your motivation to do good things for Him from the inside out!

Blessings.

Gratitude

mattfox@bandonfellowship.org (Pastor Matt Fox) — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:03:00 -0700

…as he [Jesus], entered a village, he was met by ten lepers who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” When he saw them he said to them, “Go, and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. Luke 17:12-14

In healing the ten lepers, Jesus does not reach out and touch them. He does not say, “Be healed.” He simply tells them to show themselves to the priests. This is a curious statement that Jesus makes to them, and one we must take to heart as well.
What Jesus wanted them to do was act as if they were healed, and by that they were healed. In other words, in faith they started out, and on the way they were healed.

Jesus wants to teach you and me the same thing. Is there something in your life, some sin, that you are just as desperate to have healed as those poor ten lepers? Jesus often whispers those same words to you and to me; to place our trust and faith in His intentions for us, and His power to overcome sin and cleanse us. But there is a deeper truth that Jesus desires for us.
   You see, while all ten lepers were cleansed, only one came back overwhelmed by gratitude and worship before Jesus. How did Jesus respond to this one leper? “Rise, go your way, your faith has made you well.”
   You see, ten were healed, but only one was made well, and that is far more important then being healed. In other words, unless gratitude is a constant part of our response to Jesus Christ, then we can’t really be whole.
   Do you long for healing? Then trust in the faithful word of the Lord Jesus Christ, walk in faith under the banner of the cross which has cleansed you from all unrighteousness, and respond daily with heartfelt gratitude and worship at the feet of Jesus. You’ll find the result sweeter then just healing. You’ll be made well. Whole. Full of gratitude and joy at the wondrous nature of Jesus Christ, all for the glory of God the Father!

Practice gratitude to the Lord today!

A Man With No Name

mattfox@bandonfellowship.org (Pastor Matt Fox) — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 17:30:00 -0700

“There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus…” Luke 16:19,20

The parable above that Jesus speaks, is the only parable in which a man (Lazarus), is specifically named. The reasons why are profound, and carries immense weight for you and me today. So why was Lazarus named, while the other man in the parable was simply described as being rich?

It’s very simple, and very sobering. You see, for the unnamed man, his riches were his identity. The things he worked for all his life, the things he could purchase, the things he could enjoy because of his riches were the very things he gained his identity, value, and worth from. You and I have grown up in a country whose prosperity and riches are what defines us. For this reason, it is very easy for you and me to begin to equate our identity with the things we have and not the Person who has saved us from our sin. Perhaps for you, how you view yourself is tied to your social status, education level, family, job, etc… It could even be tied to your own view of morality; meaning you think you have value and worth simply because you are a “good person.” The terrible problem is, that at the end of the day, like the rich man above, if your identity is based on things, you will be left with no identity throughout eternity. In other words, Jesus doesn’t know this man. Jesus knows those who are his, and this man is left without a name, and is only described by the false things he used during his life to find his worth in, and give himself to.

On the other hand, Lazarus is named. Jesus knows this man by name! For Lazarus, his identity was not based on his social status, his education, or income level; his identity was in Christ. The result for Lazarus was real life in Christ, for eternity. The question for you and me is: What will we really gain our dignity, our value, and our worth from? Will it be based on who and what Jesus says you are, or will you gain your dignity, value, and worth from created things rather Creator God?

Of course, we all will struggle with this reality throughout our Christian walk. We will have times in which we experience identity drifting. So what do we do when we realize that we have been gaining our feelings of worth and accomplishment through things instead of Christ? Just simply repent, and turn back to the only thing that we truly need to gain our worth from: Jesus Christ, and the Word of God. As we take in God’s Word it washes us, and re-orientates us back on the sure foundation of the Rock. As we receive grace, and walk in mercy, the realization comes that it is not about who we are, or about what we can achieve, but rather it becomes about who Jesus is, and what He has achieved! The result is a life that is empowered by the Spirit to accomplish the will of the Father for the glory of God. You see, if our identity is in anything but Christ, yours and my life will be all about our wills, and our own glory!

So be encouraged today to re-orient yourself back on the living God, our great God and Savior Jesus Christ!

The Gospel and Divine Expectations

mattfox@bandonfellowship.org (Pastor Matt Fox) — Thu, 4 Feb 2010 19:00:00 -0800

“Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.” -- Jesus

Often times, when people read the verse above, they immediately think about it in terms of material things. The problem with that is, does Jesus not expect much from people who have a lower income? Does Jesus expect more out of churches that have more resources, or does he expect less from churches that have less? Jesus, toward the end of Luke 12, is speaking about being prepared for his return. He is talking about faithful servants, and unfaithful servants. What is it he is talking about being faithful with? He’s speaking about being faithful with the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You see, if you are saved, Jesus expects much more from you. If you are a sinner saved by grace, Jesus expects that the result of the Gospel taking root in your heart is going to transform how you live. The incredible truth that has been entrusted to us is one that Jesus demands that we steward well! What does this mean? It means that Jesus is less concerned about the nice buildings that churches aspire to get. It means Jesus is more concerned about what the people IN the church are doing with the message of the Gospel OUTSIDE the church. All the stuff in the world doesn’t amount to anything if you, me, we, aren’t being good stewards with the grace that has been given us (Eph 3:2).

Dear friends, God has given you a commission. The command of Jesus to us it is to go into the world and be a steward of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If you think for one second that God is impressed because you give to the church, or because your church has nice things, or because you have nice things, but don’t do a thing on your own to share the love of Christ with sinners…then think again.

To you, dear saint who has been given so much in the goodness of God in the Gospel of His Son Jesus must understand with a joyous sobriety, that Jesus expects much of us that have that truth within us. As Jesus entrusted you with much, the “Keys of the kingdom,” means that He will demand the more from you and me.

I pray we would be a people of God who realize Jesus’ command to go and make disciples is not an option, but a requirement. The more we see this truth, the more we should repent, and pray, and seek God to pour out His Spirit to empower his church to do what He has called us to do!

Grace and peace in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Hope & Joy

mattfox@bandonfellowship.org (Pastor Matt Fox) — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 17:00:00 -0800

When you pray, say: “Father, hollowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.” -- Jesus

Often times, when someone preaches on something like prayer, the approach is something like this: “Jesus prayed often! You pray little! How much more should you pray if Jesus prayed all the time!” The question that comes to my mind is, how does that way of preaching or thinking motivate us? Here’s how that approach motivates us; the motivation is out of guilt and shame. “Jesus prayed all the time, you don’t. Jesus got up early in the morning to pray, how much more should you?” These motivate out of guilt and shame. Is that what Jesus wants? Is that what Jesus is looking for? No. Paul would say, it “Is the love of Christ that constrains me.” Our motive to pray cannot be guilt and shame, but rather our hearts should me moved out of hope and joy! The wondrous thing about the scripture above is that it is the standard. It is one that can hardly be achieved in our hearts. In fallen nature it is impossible to pray that prayer above with full integrity. What do I mean? That prayer is totally God-centered. It’s sole intent and purpose is to exalt the Father in heaven in all aspects of our life. Now do you see? It’s hard to pray that with full integrity because often times our requests really have nothing to do with ensuring the Father’s name is renowned, that His kingdom would be more established through our prayer and circumstances, and that the Kingship of the Lord would be more established in our own lives. So the standard is a divine standard.

Following the passage above, Jesus tells us a parable about prayer, one that describes you and me perfectly. It is a story of a man who has a friend who comes to his house at a late hour. As this man knocks on his door, the man of the house is panicked because he has no food for his guest. So, out of fear of social shame because he couldn’t feed his late night visitor; not out of concern for his friend, the man runs to a nearby neighbors house to get some food. So his motive was simply to save face, and in that, his motive was selfish at heart. Conversely, the man’s house he ran to in order to get food to feed his visitor, only finally opened the door to give him some food out of the mans unashamed persistence. It wasn’t because he wanted to bless his friend. His motive was also self-centered. So we have a standard of how to pray, we have the reality of who we are in the parable, (self centered), and finally, the wondrous nature of our God who in the face of that, encourages us to pray anyway! Jesus finally says, “If you then who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

You see; Jesus doesn’t motivate by guilt and shame. He says, “I know you are evil.” I know you can’t pray like this with full integrity. But I want you to pray not because of who you are, but how great I am.” We are not motivated by our performance, or lack of performance. We are motivated by the wondrous love and grace of Jesus Christ, that begins to constrain our hearts to pray like He asked us. I pray we come to our Father like little children, whose hope and joy is established in the person and work of Christ alone!

Jesus would much rather have you pray once a week out of hope and joy in Him, then a hundred times out of guilt and shame!

Glory Be!

Follow Me

mattfox@bandonfellowship.org (Pastor Matt Fox) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 15:48:00 -0800

When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem. Luke 9:51

As they were going along the road, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Luke 9:57

What does it mean to follow Jesus? For many, this is a question that seems rudimentary. Ask yourself that question. What does it really mean to follow Jesus? Does it mean growing in your walk with him? Does it mean a pursuit of spirituality? Going to church? Or, on the other hand, does it mean getting active in the quest for justice and mercy within the confines of our respective communities where we live, work, and play, just like Jesus did? What does it look like to follow Jesus at church, at work, in your relationships, at your kid’s basketball game, at the grocery store, when encountering a seemingly random individual at the coffee shop?

The key in understanding what Jesus meant when he said, “Follow me,” in Luke 9:59 is to understand the context of Luke 9:51. Jesus has set his face to go to Jerusalem. It will be a time of terrible atrocity as God’s only begotten Son will be rejected, arrested, brutalized, and finally murdered by the hands of sinners he came to save. In other words, Jesus is saying two things at once when he says, “Follow me,” and he is still saying the same thing to us today. What are those two things?

Jesus is saying. “Follow ME,” and he is saying, “FOLLOW me.” In other words, there is Me, and there is my Mission. There is a Person, and there is a Path. There is Sweetness, and there is a Suffering. There is Jesus, and then there is Jerusalem.

Here is the honest truth: Many Christians today love to follow Jesus in the scripture. But went it comes to following the path to Jerusalem it’s a whole different story. What do I mean? We delight to fill churches, to seek the scripture, and to grow in knowledge. We delight in learning about Jesus, and growing in wisdom. But what is it that God delights in? Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight.” Jeremiah 9:23,24

How do we follow Jesus? We follow Him by growing in our understanding of who he is (the Lord), and where He is going (to Jerusalem i.e. crucification), to practice steadfast love, justice, and righteousness IN the earth. Follow Me means there is the path, and then there is the Person; there is suffering, and there is sweetness; there is Jerusalem, and there is Jesus.

Let us be those who truly grow in our understanding of what Jesus truly means when he whispers the words that carry with them the weight of eternity. Let us be those who not only follow Jesus in the scripture, but also follow him in how we live, love, play, work, and die! All for the glory of God who is worthy!

Have a blessed day in the Lord Jesus Christ!

Self-determination

mattfox@bandonfellowship.org (Pastor Matt Fox) — Thu, 3 Dec 2009 17:00:00 -0800

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” Jesus

The words of the Lord Jesus Christ above are well known, quoted often, but rarely thought deeply about. The question is simple enough: What does it mean to “deny” oneself for the sake of Christ? When we hear that we are to deny ourselves, we often think of the flesh. The problem is, that often when we say flesh, we are thinking in terms of sins of commission. That is to say, we think to deny ourselves is simply to not lust, or to not covet, or to not do something we know is sinful. By not doing those things we think erroneously we are denying ourselves. But what Jesus is saying goes far deeper into the wickedness of our hearts. What Jesus is actually talking about is not simply the denial of our fleshly appetites, but is really talking about the denial of our self-determination, and self-will. In other words, you and I have a terrible problem within our hearts and it starts with the plague of the possessive personal pronoun. What do I mean? How does this work out in everyday normal life? You see it in culture when people arrogantly declare, “This is MY body and I can do with it how I please!” It is manifested in the subtle thinking in the heart that we are the owners of our lives. It’s MY life, MY house, MY money, MY career, MY plan, MY wife, MY kids, MY church…and the list could go on and on. My dear friends, our hearts tend to default into a mode in which the wickedness of sin begins to whisper the eternal, damnable lie that we are the possessors and owners of our lives and everything in them. The result is living for the praise of men, for the building of our own kingdom, and we can do it all in the midst of tacking Jesus onto the facade of our lives and even feeling good about it! To follow Jesus is to realize the depth of our wickedness that seeks to say “Mine” of everything we get out hands on, and to turn and repent. To deny yourself is to lay down your self-determinate will, and submit to God’s determinate and perfect authority and will for your life. The end result is glory for God and not you. It results in a life that is submitted to the furtherance of the Kingdom of God, and not the furtherance of your kingdom. But you cannot have both.

C.S. Lewis puts it this way in The Screwtape Letters in which a higher demon is having a conversation with a demon in training about how to deceive people. The demon says this; “We have taught men to say ‘My God’ in a sense not really different from ‘My boots,’ meaning, ‘the God on whom I have a claim for my distinguished services and whom I exploit – the God I have done a corner in.’ And all the time the joke is that the word ‘Mine’ in its fully possessive sense cannot be uttered by a human being about anything. In the long run either our Father, or the Enemy will say ‘Mine’ of each thing that exists, and especially of each man. They will find out in the end, never fear, to whom their time, their souls, and their bodies really belong – certainly not to them.”

Dear friend, let us take heed in how we hear the eternal words of God! Let us be those who lay down our self-determinate will, and gladly take up our cross daily! Let us be those who truly live for the glory and praise of the Father as we seek to be more and more like Jesus who laid aside His heavenly glory, and submitted to the will of the Father for the establishment of His kingdom! Jesus help us be Yours, and yours alone!

Glory Be!

The God of Great Things

mattfox@bandonfellowship.org (Pastor Matt Fox) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 18:00:00 -0800

“The man from whom the demons had gone begged that he might be with him, but Jesus sent him away saying, ‘Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you.’”

Why did Jesus come to this earth? God coming into the world was the most important event since creation. Because of this, the Bible speaks with unmistakable clarity about why Christ came to the earth: “The son of man came to seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10). “This saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Tim 1:15). “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him, shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). “Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the gentiles might glorify him for his mercy” (Rom 15:8-9).

Then to show us that this has been God’s purpose from the beginning, Paul quotes from 2^nd Samuel, Deuteronomy, the Psalms, and Isaiah, all to remind us what Christ Jesus came for. Why is this so important? It may even seem elementary to you. It’s important to know and constantly be reminded of because, although the word of the cross is finished, the mission is not.

Do you want to know what your purpose is? your mission? Jesus declared in Matthew 28, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Jesus also would pray for us in this way, “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one…As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them” (John 17:15,18).

Here is the point. The man above was delivered and saved from his sin. The first thing he wants to do is be comfortable. Think about it. He once was a terrible man, who used to hang out with some pretty terrible people. He had a different life now. One that was sane, and filled with peace. This man wanted to continue to be comfortable in a “holy huddle.” But Jesus responds, “No, go tell your friends and family of the great things God has done for you.” In other words, your purpose is to reach out to the lost.

Our mission is the same as Jesus’ mission. We are to declare the great things God has done for us to a lost world full of sinners. That simply does not happen by inviting people to church. We are to go. That’s what Jesus did. That’s what he commanded us to do.

What are the great things God has done for us? The eternal triune God chose to ultimately reveal himself to his creation through the person and work of Jesus Christ. He, being perfect and without sin, willingly exchanged places with imperfect sinful people. He fulfilled the wrath of God, and reconciles to the Father sinners who call on his name in faith for the forgiveness of sins. He then fills and empowers his people with the Holy Spirit to be engaged to fulfill the great commission. All to make known the riches of His mercy to the lost, for the glory of the Father!

So give thanks for the great things God has done for you. But above all, don’t keep it to yourself. And don’t just talk about it to Christian people! It’s not for them, but for the lost! If you know Jesus, continually remember why he came. It will clarify why you are here! Glory be to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for He has done great things!

Take Heed How You Hear

mattfox@bandonfellowship.org (Pastor Matt Fox) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 12:15:00 -0800

“No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light.” -Jesus

There has been a great perversion within the confines of Christendom. It was birthed from the rise of western individualism – to be completely independent and self-reliant. The great problem is, that this attitude has worked itself into our views of scripture, the church, and evangelism. In other words, often times people view their walk with Jesus Christ as a personal walk in the sense that it is for them, and that we need not feel compelled to share that “personal” faith with anyone else. Jesus in speaking above lays waste to that self-centered, hellish idea. In the context of taking heed how you hear, Jesus explicitly says that those who really hear the Gospel, who are confronted by their sinfulness, and turn to Jesus Christ in faith, are those who become lights to those around them. To put it another way, “By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.”

1 John 2:5b-6

The fact is, everywhere Jesus walked he revealed the character, nature, and intentions of the Father. By doing so, those around him were bathed in light that revealed the true nature of our condition; utter depravity, sinful rebellion, and a desperate need to be redeemed from the terrible marring that came from sin. Our faith is not just personal. It is meant to be shouted from rooftops, to be shared with our friends, family, and neighbors across the street! “Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.” Ephesians 2:12

Someone rightly said, “The highest form of selfishness is to be content to go to heaven alone.”

Lord help us have ears to hear the wondrous nature of Gospel of Jesus Christ, and help us walk in the same way you walked, to be a light in the darkness, for the glory and praise of the Father amen!

Faith that Pleases God

mattfox@bandonfellowship.org (Pastor Matt Fox) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:30:00 -0800

“For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard these things he marveled at him…. Luke 7:8-9a

What kind of faith pleases God? I look at the above verse, and can’t but help be filled with hope and joy, and a sense of incredible awe at the wondrous nature of Jesus Christ. Why do I feel that way? First, the centurion’s faith is terribly imperfect. The centurion is one who, because of his relationship to the emperor, was one who in and of himself had no authority. He only had authority because of his standing with the emperor. What this centurion is saying is, “Jesus, your like me. You don’t have any authority in and of yourself. But I perceive that you have a great relationship with someone of higher authority. So say the word.” The point is; this man’s faith does not rise to Nicene Creed level faith and understanding on exactly who Jesus is. His faith is imperfect. His faith as rather weak as it were. Why should this bring a sense of hope, joy, and wonder to our hearts? Consider this: Is it the strength of this man’s faith that saves him and his servant? No. Was the reason Jesus commends his faith because of his perfect understanding? No.

It was not the strength of his faith, or the perfect nature of his faith that got Jesus’ attention - it was the OBJECT of his faith. In other words, he simply had enough faith to come to Jesus in the first place.

What kind of faith pleases God? The faith that pleases God is a faith that is placed solely and totally on Jesus. This should bring radical joy to your heart! To realize that our standing with God is not based upon a perfect faith, or a strong faith, but rather the object that our faith is in - Jesus, should cause us to praise! That in the face of my often imperfect faith, my weak faith at times, I know that Jesus still moves on the behalf of those who have enough faith to simply come to Him!

The Great Reversal

mattfox@bandonfellowship.org (Pastor Matt Fox) — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 10:30:00 -0800

“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you and revile you, and spurn your name as evil on account of the Son of Man.” - Jesus

Whether you realize it or not, you are a citizen of one of two kingdoms. Each kingdom, has a set of values, power, and products. Paul would say in Colossians 1:13 that, “He has delivered us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

You see, the kingdom of darkness has a set of values that it holds in high esteem. It holds power, comfort, success, and acclaim as values to esteem and treasure (Luke 6:24-26). The power that drives these sets of values is the self will of fallen humanity that seeks to be the center of attention. Over and above is Jesus’ kingdom (Luke 6:20-23). As Jesus comes on the scene, He ushers in what many have called, “The Great Reversal.” He proclaims what his kingdom holds in high esteem: Weakness, sacrifice, grief, and exclusion. As Jesus comes off the mountain healing, and teaching, and performing miracles; it is the writing on the wall that declares an end to the self-centered life that the old kingdom exalts, and instead ushers in new way of living in humility by the power of God that produces not an eternally destroyed life, but a eternally joyful existence in communion with God. Someone said it this way, “In the life of God’s people, it will be seen first of all a remarkable reversal of values. The people of God will prize what the world calls pitiable, and suspect what the world thinks desirable.”

So often we find ourselves living for the values of the old kingdom. So what are we to do? We humbly repent, and rely upon the One who the greatest reversal fell upon. Jesus. He reversed his glory, and became our shame. He reversed His life, and received our death. He gave us his righteousness, and took upon Himself our reproach. See Jesus. See how he IS the great reversal for you. If we do that, it will be by His power that we begin to hold in high esteem the values of the kingdom we belong to by His grace.

Real Relationship. Real Discipleship.

mattfox@bandonfellowship.org (Pastor Matt Fox) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:00:00 -0700

Jesus said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” Luke 5:4b-5

What does it mean to be in real relationship with a living, and personal God? What does it mean to be a real disciple of Jesus? We catch a glimpse of this reality in the short passage above. First, what does it mean to be in relationship with a real, and living God who desires personal relationship with you and I? Consider this: If I were to never allow my wonderful wife to contradict me, would we have a real loving relationship? Of course not; she would simply have to comply with all my ideas, and always say yes to my demands and views, and in that would experience hell on earth. To have a real relationship is to allow the living God to contradict your ideas, life experience, and understanding. Peter was faced with this above. Peter no doubt grew up fishing, and was a commercial fisherman. He knew when, where, and how to fish. He had experience. And the first thing that Jesus does, is contradict him, and his experience. So the first step in growing in real relationship with Jesus is to allow him to contradict your ideas about what it means to live, to love, and to thrive. Do you readily accept some parts of God’s Word (the Bible), and reject others? Do you catch yourself saying something like, “Oh, I know this isn’t right, but God understands.” What you have simply done is created your own God, and not allowed the true and living God to contradict you. We all do this in different areas of our lives don’t we? And this is what it means to be a disciple of Jesus: When Jesus comes into your life, like Peter above, He always will contradict you in some fashion, and like Peter, cause you to choose; Jesus, or your own experience? What areas in your life do you not allow God to contradict you? Do you recognize that by doing so, you are simply creating your own God that is submissive to your ideas and personal experience? Do you want to grow more as a disciple of Jesus? What do we do then? We, even in the face of doubt like Peter above, submit to His word, and repent of our idolatry, and allow God to be God. You’ll find that as Jesus takes the helm of your life once again, that you’ll experience freedom and a closeness that your heart yearns for!

Here’s to allowing the living and eternal God to contradict us, and make us more and more like His Son Jesus Christ as we repent, and submit to Him!

Prepare The Way

mattfox@bandonfellowship.org (Pastor Matt Fox) — Tue, 6 Oct 2009 09:40:00 -0700

And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight...’” Luke 3:3,4a

If you and I could be transported back to the time in which John begins his prophetic preaching of repentance and judgment, what kinds of things would we see God’s people doing, and involved with? You would see a nation lacking repentance, a corrupted priesthood, a lack of sound doctrine, routine useless worship, divorce was widespread; social justice was being totally ignored, and God’s people generally could care less about one another, let alone the world around them. Sound familiar? How did this happen?

You see, the Jews John was exhorting to repent had, as Paul would put it, “The appearance of godliness, but denied its power.” (2Tim 3:5) You see, these are a people who have been exposed to God, His Word, and have built for themselves forms of godliness that contain no power. The reality is, that exposure to God’s Word does not mean experience of God’s power in your life practically. You can go to church as the Jews above were doing. You can worship. You can listen to teaching after teaching, exposing yourself to God’s Word. But exposure doesn’t equal experience. So how do we gain, and experience the reality of what God’s Word says? It’s the same thing that John says, and Jesus will say, “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

The only way to really experience God’s power in your life, is to live a life of repentance of sin, turning away from the sin, and allowing the wondrous grace and mercy of Jesus Christ to overwhelm the heart and constrain the actions.

So the question for you is this: “What forms of godliness in your life is Jesus pointing out that need to be repented of?” Paul would go on to say about the people in the last days that they are, “Always learning and never able to arrive at the knowledge of truth.” Have you spent an inordinate amount of your life simply being exposed to God’s Word, and have thought in error that it equates to experience? The word to us is repent. Seek Jesus today. Seek to experience the reality of what His Word declares!

Prepare the way if the Lord!

To What Do You Cling?

mattfox@bandonfellowship.org (Pastor Matt Fox) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:00:00 -0700

…he took him up in his arms and blessed God…. Luke 2:28a

And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel…”. Luke 2:34a

At times I have to remind myself, as one who has grown up with the amazing truths of Jesus, that these are real people, who at the time, did not have the gospels to read. I think at times we think that a guy like Simeon, picks up baby Jesus, and looks and sees (like the movies), a tattoo on Jesus’ arm that says he’s the Son of God. For example, you see it all the time in entertainment; a young character is chosen for some monumental task that is to alter the world, and the only way others can identify this special young character is by some identifying mark, or some other outlandish identifier they were born with. Not so with Jesus. As Simeon looks at Jesus, there is nothing to distinguish him from all the other babies that he has seen dedicated in the temple over the years. How did, or what drove him to respond the way he did? Here’s the truth: Martin Luther put it this way, “Often times, we must disregard our senses when contemplating the works of God, and instead cling only to His everlasting Word.” For Simeon, all his senses would tell him that the little baby he held in his arms was just that, and only that. But it wasn’t his senses he clung to. It was God’s word that was given to him that he “would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.” In other words, it was God’s Word that by faith became his sight.

What is that word God has spoken to you personally, that perhaps you have given up on because all your senses tell you it’s not possible? Dear friends, no matter what your senses say, there are times when you must simply hold onto God’s perfect and true Word, and cry out to Jesus to help your unbelief.

Hold onto His Word today and live in the fullness of His purposes for you!

Out of Love for God

mattfox@bandonfellowship.org (Pastor Matt Fox) — Wed, 2 Sep 2009 21:11:00 -0700

In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah....And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. -- Luke 1:5-7

Have you ever been let down? Have you ever found yourself longing for something that is dear to your heart? For Zachariah and Elizabeth, the gift of children was the pinnacle of blessing. On that culture, the inability to bear children, and to not have a male child was tantamount to disgrace. In other words, for this couple, life hasn’t worked out for them the way they have wanted. But what is so astounding is what we find them doing in spite of it all – Praising God! We find that they still have hearts to serve the Lord. Not because God had given them everything they wanted physically, no, they served out of love for God. Why? They key is in verse six. The scripture declares, “…They were both righteous before God….” How could they still be moved to serve God in the midst of disappointment in their lives personally? Grace. The grace of God. Were they truly righteous before God on their own? No. They were a couple who experienced the wonder of God’s grace.

Have you experienced the wonder of God’s grace? Are you serving God right now in order to leverage Him by being good in order to get what you desire? Or, like these two, are you serving God simply out of love for Him, and out of a grateful heart in light of His glorious grace and intentions for you? You see, it is when we simply seek first the Kingdom of God that everything else gets added. Seek Jesus today. Love Him for who He is, and the grace He has given through the finished work of the cross!

Lived the Life we should have lived. Died the death we should have died.

mattfox@bandonfellowship.org (Pastor Matt Fox) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 18:00:00 -0700

And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” -- Mark 15:34

Contained in the verse above is the most astounding truth. You see, in one moment, in one statement, Jesus Christ displays what He came to do and accomplish. On the one hand, Jesus, as he is hanging on the cross, experiences the supernatural darkness of God’s just wrath for the sins of the world. It was in that moment that Jesus was being utterly forsaken by the Father as He became your sin, and my sin, and bore the wrath of God in himself. But it’s not just enough for Jesus to bear our sin and wrath. He had to live a life of perfect, loving obedience to God the Father. And as Jesus, in the midst of hell, as his soul and body are being unraveled, cries, “My God, My God.” It’s the language of intimacy. Jesus, in the midst of hell, still says to the Father, “I love you, I trust you, and obey you.” You see, no one has ever suffered like Jesus. No one has ever been obedient like Jesus. In that one moment, in that one phrase, Jesus is living the life of loving obedience that we should have lived, and because we didn’t, Jesus dies the death that was ours to bear. Why? Why would God come down and do all of that? For you, and for me!

Rejoice today! God loves you so much. No matter what you have gone through, are going through, or will go through, Jesus Christ can intimately identify with you, and cares for you, and wants to be in relationship with you eternally. He proved it on the cross.

So rejoice in your great God and Savior Jesus Christ today!

The Great Exchange

mattfox@bandonfellowship.org (Pastor Matt Fox) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 18:00:00 -0700

And Pilate again said to them, “Then what shall I do with the man you call the King of the Jews?” And they cried out, “Crucify him.” And Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify him.” So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified. Mark 15:12-15

How do you know you can trust Jesus Christ? How do you know, in times of difficulty, times of trouble, in times of uncertainty; how do you know you can trust him? How can you know that you can trust him with your life, and the lives of your family and friends? How do you know?

In the above passage, there are two people on display. Jesus – who is totally innocent and blameless, not only before God, but even before the Roman authority. Jesus – standing there as one who has done countless miracles for the very people condemning him to death. Jesus – the one who has given life to those who would trust him is standing there on display. Also on display, is Barabbas. In contrast to Jesus, Barabbas is one who has not given and restored life, but taken life as a murderer. Instead of love, he brings hate to his enemies. Instead of providing for those he leads, he steals from them. In other words, you have a picture of the absolute innocence of Christ, standing next to the absolute depravity of mankind. And the most profound thing that ever took place, was that the pure, blameless, and wonderful Christ willingly changed places with him. With you. With me.

Martin Luther rightly describes it as, “The Great Exchange.” Why can you trust him? Because he loved you so very much that, as he stood there in his perfection, he chose to exchange places with you. He chose to become sin for you and for me, and in return he gave to you and me his righteousness!

Dear friend, you can trust Jesus. He has already proved without a shadow of a doubt that he loves for, cares deeply, and yearns to be in relationship with you. Rejoice in and trust the Risen Lord, our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ!

Rejoice in Trouble

mattfox@bandonfellowship.org (Pastor Matt Fox) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:49:00 -0700

“And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives." Mark 14:26

At first glance, the above verse seems innocuous enough. Until you consider the context. Jesus Christ, knowing the cup of God’s wrath he was about to drink, responded to his Father in a remarkable way. With praise. How do you respond to difficulty? What is expressed from your life when faced with a cup that you would rather not drink from? At this point, many people would say, “In times of trouble you need to praise.” I know on our own, we can’t do that. We won’t do it. So how does this response come about? The only way for you and me to respond in a Christ like way to hardship and trouble, is not to try hard to praise, but is to first look to the One who did it for you. You see, it’s only when you see, that in that very moment, Jesus began to praise in your place. When you see that Jesus Christ lived the life you should have lived, and then took the death you deserved, can you be moved out of joy to worship even in difficulty. If you are one who is facing a cup that you would rather turn from, look to Jesus. He took a cup that was far worse. He took the cup of God’s wrath. He praised his Father in the face of it, all for you. If that doesn’t bring a smile to your face, and strength to your steps, and a song of thanksgiving to your heart, then pause and remember the depths He went for you. I pray that we are impressed with our Savior so much, that in the face of anything, we can respond to what He did with a song in our hearts, and strength in our steps!